Interviewer: Josh Alexander, CEC
Interviewee: Al Falaq Arsendatama, MCC

Josh: I’m here with Mr. Al Falaq Arsendatama, MCC asking about his journey to becoming the first master certified coach of Indonesia, Mr. Al thank you so much for your time. Would you mind explaining to me, just sharing with the listeners about the journey through the MCC process.

Al: Well I can say it’s a very rewarding journey, I wouldn’t say it’s challenging even though in reality, of course, it is challenging, I started my coaching back in 2008 and at the time had a vision to become someone in this coaching industry. Not someone who can be recognized as MCC or something like it but someone who can contribute something to the society, to the community, to people around me, including my clients. I began the ACC journey in 2012 and then PCC in 2014, and then four years later, 2018, I became an MCC. MCC is something that, for me, is self-recognition. It’s not something that people would admire me, or anything like it. It is something more like recognition for me that I have developed into this stage that I recognize myself, my capability as someone that can contribute to the community because MCC level is something different. It is not only about coaching it is about human connection. It’s more into the art of coaching. ACC is more about the technicality, but PCC towards MCC is more about mixing the techniques into beautiful elements that we call the “Art of Coaching.” MCC for me is more self-recognition that I’m proud that I’m at this stage to be the first one in Indonesia and I believe there will be other coaches following this path of MCC in the near future.

Josh: For those other coaches that are wanting to follow this path of accreditation, increasing their knowledge and skills as a coach, what do you have to say for them?

Al: What I would say to them is don’t pursue MCC for the sake of the title, but put the MCC in your vision as your own recognition that you have come this far in coaching industry/profession. Don’t be too rushed to become and MCC. Develop the coaching competencies, mixing the science and art of coaching naturally. There will be a time that we will feel it is the right timing to apply for the MCC. More MCCs in Indonesia will be better to grow the coaching community and mature the industry. Right now, there is only one MCC (which is myself) and I believe there will be a few more and many many more in the coming years. By having more MCCs I believe there will be the growth of coaching beyond what we call this technicality “Leader as a Coach” or “fixing issues”, beyond that because coaching is something that is very beautiful, combining all the elements that arises from the human values to connect to other people and create something meaningful from that interaction. I think MCC requires some degree of maturity so that is why don’t be too rushed to become an MCC until you feel confident that you have grown in this profession. Not only about coaching hours (2,500 hours). It’s not only like that. We can catch up with thousands of hours by coaching every day, but the quality must be assured, at some degree of “art” because one session to another is something different. That will give you confidence when the time is right, then you can start applying for the MCC. Begin with mentoring. That is the hard part. Mentoring is something that, in my experience, mentoring for the MCC, in the beginning I felt so confident that I could do it very quickly, but then by the end of the day I took time. Six months to do the mentoring because every session of the MCC mentoring is very rewarding in terms of receiving feedback, knowing my blind spots, and re-calibrating my art of coaching. So take your time.

Josh: Final question, what do hope to happen in the coaching industry in Indonesia, now that you are in this position? What do you hope for coaching industry in general and what do you hope for coaches that want to increase their knowledge and their accreditation?

Al: I do hope there will be an increase of awareness in Indonesia when someone talks about coaching, their mindset will be more on vision and ideation… creating something new… creativity, because ten years ago, for example, when someone talks about coaching what they had in mind was fixing issues. With many PCCs, MCCs and even ACCs in Indonesia, I do hope there will be some degree of maturity in the community & the industry. That people would see coaching as something useful. Everyone needs coaching because they have dreams, they have visions to achieve. It would be good for us, for organizations, businesses, and people in general when we have come to this perception that coaching required for anyone who wants to advance their life/profession, achieving their dreams to become their best self.

Josh: Do you have any comments for anyone who is listening to this interview? For any coaches or non-coaches?

Al: I would say that coaching is needed for anyone. For everyone who wants to grow; who wants to become a better self. By being coached, I do believe by the end of the day, at the end of the journey, we will know who we are.

Josh: Thank you Mr. Al. You guys can follow him on his Instagram at @Al.Falaq.Arsendatama and follow us @Coaching.Indonesia. Thank you for listening!